Chip dispenser



March 12, 1940. w, D, C HR N 2,193,164

CHIP DISPENSER Filed March 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 19 2a a g I7 \5 11 7 76 a a if- 29. 'C'ociu'an.

mzg W March 12, 1940. w. D. COCHRAN CHIP DISPENSER Filed March 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 12,

UNITE. stares rij Application March 21,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices and more particularly to a device for holding and dispensing chips or disks used for game counters. The object of the invention is to provide a chip holder and dispensing device of simple and inexpensive construction particularly adapted for use whenplaying cards or other games and by means of which a plurality of stacks of chips or counters may be conveniently supported in position to p ermit a player to remove any desired number of chips from a selected stack during the progress of the game.

A further object of the invention is. to provide a chip dispenser comprising a stationary base having a holder mounted for rotation thereon and provided with spaced pockets or comparte ments opening through the outer face of the holder and adapted to receive counters or chips of different denominations, means being mounted on the base and disposed in the path of said pockets or compartmentsfor automatically ejecting any desired number of chips therefrom and presenting the ejected chips at said outer face for convenient removal by a player when said 'holder is rotated.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efilciency.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which similar nu merals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a combined holder and chip dispenser embodying the present invention,

Figure .2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the rotating part of the holder, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ejecting pin and its support.

The improved chip holder and dispenser forming the subject matter of the present invention comprises a stationary base '5, preferably circu lar in shape as shown, and having its upper face 6 flat and its lower face covered with a strip of felt or other yieldable material I to prevent 1939, Serial No. 263,250 (01. 133-5) partm-ents 9 adapted to receive stacks of chips or counters ill to be used in playing different kinds of games. A screw or similar fastening device H extends loosely through the base 5 and is threaded into the central portion of the holder 8 to 15 permit free rotation of the holder on the base, there being a spacing washer i2 interposed between the upper surface of the base and the adjacent face of the holder, as shown. The holder 8 is preferably of integral construction, and 10 formed in the lower portion of its outer surface is a circumferential recess 13 defining a chipsupporting ledge or flange I t, said flange being connected. with the body of the holder at intervals by integral vertical spacing members I5. 15 i The base of theholder 8 immediately back of the flange M is formed with an annular guiding groove 86 which intersects the lower portions of the chip-receiving compartments 9 and communicates with thecircumferential recess 53 so 2 as to permit the ready discharge of chips from the compartments in the manner hereinafter explained. Secured to and projecting upwardly. from the base 5 is an ejecting pin ll having its opposite faces inclined or beveled at lil so that, when the holder 3 is rotated and the pin ll approaches any one of the chip-receiving compartments 8, one or the other of the beveled faces it of the pin will bear against certain of the chips in the adjacent compartment 9 and automatically eject the same so that said chips will be forced outwardly on the supporting ledge M and in position to be conveniently removed therefrom by a player when desired. The upper surface of the holder 8 is provided with a circular depression 9 defining a finger piece or knob 29, by means of which the holder may be readily rotated to discharge a selected number of chips. from any of the compartments. The upper end of the pin ll extends within the guiding groove I5 and by rotating the holder the compartments 9 may be successively moved to a position adja cent the pin to eject the chips from said compartments upon further rotation of the holder.

In operation, the compartments 9 are filled or partially filled with flat chips or counters H! of the desired color and denomination for use in playing a game. If a player desires a predetermined number of chips from any compartment, it is merely necessary to grasp the finger force said chips outwardly on the ledge l4 and in which position they may be readily removed by the player. After the ejected chips have been removed from the supporting ledge I 4, the remaining chips in the compartment will drop by gravity onto the rear surface of said ledge and in position to be again engaged by the pin l1 upon further rotation of the holder. The upper wall of the recess I3 opposite each compartment is provided with a concave finger-receiving depression 2! to facilitate grasping and removing the chips after they have been forced outwardly on the supporting ledge. Any desired number of chips of any denomination or value may be ejected at one time from the compartments 9 by changing the length of the ejecting pin H, but the length of said pin is preferably such that only five chips will be ejected. Inasmuch as the pin is provided with oppositely disposed beveled faces I8, the chips can be ejected from the compartments 9 regardless of the direction of rotation of the holder.

It will, of course, be understood that the chip dispensers may be made in different sizes and shapes and so constructed as to dispense any number of chips at one time without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a base, a holder mounted for rotation on the base and provided with an outer circumferential recess defining a supporting ledge and having spaced compartments communicating with said recess and adapted to receive stacks of playing chips, a guiding groove formed in the holder and communicating with said compartments, and means carried by the base and extending within the guiding groove in the path of the compartments for ejecting a selected number of chips therefrom and presenting said chips on the outer portion of the supporting ledge when the holder is rotated.

2. A device of the class described comprising a base, a holder mounted for rotation on the base and provided with a circumferential recess and spaced compartments communicating with said recess and adapted to receive a plurality of playing chips, the bottom of the holder being provided with an annular guiding groove intersecting the chip-receiving compartments, and an ejecting pin secured to the base and extending within the guiding groove in the path of the compartments for ejecting a predetermined number of chips from said compartments when the holder is rotated.

3. A device of the class described comprising a stationary base, a holder mounted for rotation on the base and having its bottom provided with an annular guiding groove and its side walls formed with a circumferential recess defining a supporting ledge, spaced compartments formed in the holder and having their lower ends communicating with the circumferential recess, spacing members disposed within the circumferential recess, there being finger-receiving recesses formed in the holder between adjacent spacing members, and an ejecting pin carried by the base and extending upwardly within the guiding groove in the path of the compartments, said pin being adapted to engage and force a selected number of chips from an adjacent compartment outwardly on the supporting ledge when the holder is rotated.

WILLIAM D. COCHRAN. 

